


Alive

by stormysirens



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender, klance - Fandom
Genre: Also fluff, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blade of Marmora is only referenced, Female Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Im bad at tags so, M/M, So much angst, The team is only briefly mentioned, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, but not really, tbh I just need something after that s4 ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 12:54:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12653922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormysirens/pseuds/stormysirens
Summary: Against all of the protests and questions filling in through the communicators, Keith shifted gears and turned the course of his own pod onto the Galra’s.Keith couldn’t think when his pod was going full blast in the direction of the glowing particle barrier, he couldn’t feel. He didn’t want to.Because if he thought too hard about what he was doing and the people he was leaving behind, he feared he’d pull back.He didn’t want to watch his own crash and burn, so before he hit the shield, Keith let his eyes flutter shut.His breathing had evened out, his grip on the controls was steady, and the only thing Keith could really focus on was the sound of his racing pulse in his ears.Keith was ready to hit the barrier, and he almost did. Almost.~Or the one where Keith is willing to die for the people he loves and Lance tries to prove that those same people all need him alive.





	Alive

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sserendipityy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sserendipityy/gifts).



> Hi everyone okay I’ll make this short and leave the more detailed notes for the end. I just wanted to point out that this is my first contribution to the Voltron/Klance fandom and I really hope you like it. And also this is my first time using this website so I’m still learning all the tricks and tags and stuff. (Ps I know everyone and their mothers have written this scene but I really needed to add my own interpretations so yeah) Anyways hope you enjoy! :) ((one last thing this is dedicated to my best friend sserendipityy - she really helped motivate me to do this and she also helped me edit and I love her a lot so yeah go check out her story as well!))

“We’re not gonna make it!”

Even though the comms were flooded with the sounds of stray lasers and grunts of people who were grazed by the Galra fire, Keith could clearly make out what Lance had said.

He could hear the desperation in his voice, he could _feel_ it.

In that moment, Keith wasn’t thinking about himself or all that he had to give up. He wasn’t thinking about the fact that he was (mostly) human, and that his life could not be regenerated.

All Keith could think about was the fact that Pidge and Matt had a father to search for. All he could think about was the fact that Shiro, his brother, had to continue the legacy he created for space exploration. All he could think about was the fact that Hunk was definitely paralyzed with fear of his and his teammates’ impending deaths. All Keith could think about was Lance, and how he had a family on Earth he silently promised to get him back to.

So, after Matt made some muffled declaration about how they couldn’t break the particle barrier, Keith finally kicked into action.

“Maybe not with our weapons.”

Against all of the protests and questions filling in through the communicators, Keith shifted gears and turned the course of his own pod onto the Galra’s.

Keith couldn’t think when his pod was going full blast in the direction of the glowing particle barrier, he couldn’t _feel_. He didn’t want to.

Because if he thought too hard about what he was doing and the people he was leaving behind, he feared he’d pull back.

He didn’t want to watch his own crash and burn, so before he hit the shield, Keith let his eyes flutter shut.

His breathing had evened out, his grip on the controls was steady, and the only thing Keith could really focus on was the sound of his racing pulse in his ears.

Keith was ready to hit the barrier, and he almost did _. Almost._

Because within the few seconds he had his eyes closed, Keith saw a wash of red-orange light and heard the sound of multiple explosions going off in front of him.

Before the fires completely engulfed him, Keith pulled hard on the controls and reversed the direction of his pod.

Words of praise and cheers sounded through Keith’s headset, but he couldn’t understand why.

“Good job, Keith,” Shiro breathed in relief.

“It wasn’t me,” Keith mumbled, quickly piecing together the situation that unraveled before them. Everyone let out soft gasps or murmurs of confusion, but Keith ignored them and went on, “It was Lotor, the canon on his ship was the only thing powerful enough to take down that shield.”

Keith still couldn’t comprehend what had just happened. He couldn’t trust it. Not only did he cheat death, but he did it on the accounts that an enemy of the universe had just saved him. It didn’t make sense.

Things became more confusing when Lotor announced through the comms that he wanted to speak with the paladins and rebels alike, all past tensions aside.

Keith didn’t know what the night or this meeting would hold, he only knew that it would be full of surprises.

-

When Keith stepped into his room after all those weeks of being gone, he felt a rush of air grace his lungs and a sense of familiarity and relief wash over his body.

Keith was never too fond of his room in the Castle of Lions. The walls were bare and at night when he couldn’t sleep, there was nothing to remind him of home. Granted, his messy shack in the middle of the desert wasn’t much, but it was all he had known. It was familiar and the walls were filled with memories and plans to bring Shiro back. It was as close to a home as he could get.

But the plain room didn’t bother him much anymore, because after all that time spent with the Blades, he just appreciated being back. He appreciated having a room to himself again because it meant that he had time to think. It meant that he could let the reality of his situation set in.

Keith wasn’t really sure how to feel about his decision. The Blade of Marmora, although against the race, believed in the Galra way of life. They lived on the premisis of knowledge and victory or death. Their organization would make sacrifices at the expense of the mission because they felt that what they were working for was greater than any one person. But Keith didn’t attempt to kamikaze himself for the sake of a mission. Keith was ready to sacrifice himself if it meant that his friends - _his family_ \- and thousands of others could live to see another day. To continue the fight and make it home to a free planet.

Besides, Keith felt like even if he had been gone, things wouldn’t have changed much. Voltron could be formed now that Shiro was back and Allura was piloting a lion. The Blades didn’t need him because as Allura mentioned, they ran their organization for thousands of years without him. Everything and everyone would be fine if he was gone.

There was a knock on his door and Keith expected it to be Shiro, ready with a speech and tactics on how he should behave during the meeting with Lotor.

Only it wasn’t Shiro.

Instead of being met with proud gray eyes and a wicked scar across the face, Keith was met with crashing tide eyes and a mess of brown waves.

 _Lance_.

He was another thing that gave Keith that sense of home and belonging. Some odd lingering feeling in his chest made his heart swell while he took in the lanky boy before him.

Lance looked the same. His hair was parted messily down the middle, large ears sticking out behind the chestnut strands. His eyes were wide and the same vibrant shade of blue they had always been. He was out of the paladin armor and skintight suit, and back in his usual baseball tee and oversized olive-green jacket. And Keith took comfort in this, the fact that no matter where he went or how long he was gone, he could come back to this constant. _Come back to Lance._

The only difference with him today though, was the way he was looking at Keith, like he’d just done him a great injustice. Like they were back to square one.

“...uh, Lance? Hi?” Keith meant to greet him with enthusiasm but it came out more as a question.

“ _What the hell is wrong with you?!_ ” Lance exclaimed barreling into the room, letting the door shut behind him. Lance jabbed his index finger into Keith’s chest and pushed him further into the room.

Keith wasn’t sure what was going on, but for the first time since his experience on that pod, he was scared. Scared that he might not have gotten to see this again. Even if he was angry, and had the flames of hell in his eyes, Keith was terrified of never seeing this again more than anything.

He was terrified of never having Lance as a part of his life.

And in this moment, he was afraid that he was losing him all over again.

-

Lance was angry. Completely and utterly furious after the conversation he just shared with Matt.

Lance didn’t think much of it when Matt stopped him in the hall to ask if he knew where Keith was.

 _He must want to meet him in person. Pidge hasn’t really stopped bragging and sharing embarrassing stories of us to Matt_ , he thought.

“I don’t know actually, he’s probably brooding around in his room,” Lance joked, sending Matt a half-hearted smile to let him know that he was only playing around.

“Oh, uh alright then,” Matt muttered, his brows pulled together in a sense of confusion and concern.

The expression on his face made Lance uneasy enough to stop and question him, “Why? Is everything okay?”

Matt gazed down at Lance and ran a hand through his auburn hair, “I don’t know really. I think someone should talk to Keith about what he was going to do, but I don’t think it should be me. I wouldn’t mind obviously, but he doesn’t seem like the type to spill his feelings to strangers.”

Lance tipped his head to the side and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “What do you mean? What was he going to do?”

“You guys really didn’t see him?” Matt asked under his breath, more like he was speaking to himself. “How do you think Keith planned on taking out that particle barrier?”

Lance hadn’t really thought about it, he hadn’t even realized Keith was going to take out the shield until Shiro praised him for it.

Keith was impulsive, that much Lance knew. He knew that if Keith did plan on taking out that barrier _(which also sounds like him because he’s selfless)_ he would take it out in a way that was dangerous to his own safety. Keith didn’t have weapons on his ride that were stronger than any other fighter pods’, he didn’t have any bombs to attach to the shield, what more could he have done?

It took him a brief moment, but when Lance realized what Keith was going to do, his face twisted into a look of horror.

_That dumbass was going to ram himself into the particle barrier._

Maybe Lance should have thought out what he was going to say before he showed up on Keith’s doorstep, fuming. It probably would have gotten him further in the conversation than the string of Spanish curse words he was muttering under his breath.

But even if Lance had thought up an elaborate speech about how stupid Keith was and how he needed a serious sense of impulse control, it probably wouldn’t have mattered.

Because now here Lance stood, with his narrowed ocean eyes peering down at Keith’s too-intense, galaxy orbs and he lost all the words that were playing on the tip of his tongue.

It had been months since Lance had last seen Keith. Then, everything was different. Then, they were still treading the thin ice of a newly founded friendship. Then, fights didn’t break out over light teasing, or playful punches. Then, they both realized that they shared an unspoken, mutual, respect for each other.

Then, Lance hadn’t had the courage to fight for Keith to stay, but now he was certain he was never going to let him leave again.

Lance wasn’t sure how or when, but somewhere along the way his bitter rivalry turned into complete admiration. He started to realize that his feelings of jealousy were not nearly as strong as his feelings of respect for everything that Keith was capable of - for him in general.

For a long time - since the Garrison days even - Keith wasn’t real to Lance, he wasn’t touchable. When Keith flew it was one of the most beautiful things Lance had ever seen. It wasn’t a task or a drill to Keith, it was _freedom._ It was what he was made out of _._ After being picked as defenders of the universe, Keith only proved to be more exceptionally skilled. Watching Keith on the battlefield or in the training room was like watching the creation of art. Every move was so precise and thought out, like strokes of a paintbrush on a blank canvas. Keith was on this level that Lance couldn’t even comprehend and it made him jealous. Who wouldn’t be irked by someone so seemingly perfect?

But then Keith stepped into the roll of being leader, and Lance realized that Keith wasn’t this perfect deity. He realized that Keith’s short temper and rash decisions weren’t signs of a perfect leader and as odd as it seems, it made him appreciate the indigo-eyed idiot even more. It made him realize that he was _human_.

When Lance looked at Keith, he didn’t just see potential though. Keith was so _good_ and selfless. He was reckless and when he wasn’t being a total pain in the ass, he was actually pretty fun to be around. Keith was open-minded and if it didn’t have anything to do with the Galra, he was also very patient.

Keith was everything Lance aspired to be, and standing there seeing everything that could have been lost - it pissed him off.

“First you go off on misguided missions with the Blades and then somewhere along the way you pick up their self-sacrificial habits?!” Lance didn’t intend for his tone to sound so bitter and pointed, but he just couldn’t help it. Once his emotions ran loose, there was no wrangling them back.

“ _Fuck_ , Keith, do you even realize what would have happened if Lotor hadn’t’ve come along? We wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. _You would be dead!_ ” Keith flinched at this and Lance felt a slight tug in his heart, “I know you like to act on your impulses but-”

“I wasn’t being impulsive, I knew what I was doing!” Keith exclaimed exasperatedly, finally seeming to come out of the conflicted trance he was in. “ _I knew what I was doing!_ I was getting Matt and Pidge back to their parents. I was giving Allura and Shiro the chance they deserve to keep fighting this war - the chance to keep millions of other people alive. I was giving Hunk the peace of mind that all his teammates would live to see another day. I was getting you back home to your mom’s hugs and garlic knots and Veradero beach!”

Keith took a stuttering breath and Lance’s eyes tracked the movement of his jaw - the way it relaxed before it tightened again when he spoke, “I _knew_ what I was doing. I was saving Voltron and millions of other people because this fight has to go on. With or without me. I wasn’t being impulsive because if I had the chance to do it again, I’d still go back and save you.”

Lance wasn’t exactly sure what to say to that - he wasn’t exactly sure how to feel. He was frustrated, with himself for being so conflicted and with Keith for thinking that this war would be worth fighting without him by their side.

Lance went through an endless list of possible things to say in response to that like, _We need you_ , or, _I don’t want to fight without you_ , or even, _Thank you_.

But none of those words fell from Lance’s lips, instead?

“That’s not the point, mullet.”

His voice was no longer laced with bitterness or fury, just exhaustion. Desperation. How could he express how much losing Keith would affect him - affect all of them?

“Then what _is_ the point?” Keith questioned, irritation and confusion clearly present on his features. “Honestly Lance, why are you so bothered by this? You can form Voltron now that Shiro’s back and the Blades have functioned ten thousand years without me. I’d be one less person to worry-” Lance cut him off before he could finish that sentence. He couldn’t let Keith go on thinking that his absence wouldn’t matter. He couldn’t let him go on thinking that he was replaceable.

“ _The point_ ,” Lance muttered, heart pounding so loud in his chest that he could feel it in his head, “is that you aren’t dispensable, Keith. If you had died out there it would have _mattered_. You’re so important to this team, and not just as a soldier or whatever. We were picked as Paladins of Voltron and it was fate whether you believe in it or not. We were put out here to fight a war that isn’t even ours and no one else but you and I, Hunk, Pidge - _no one_ understands what we left behind to be here. We are in this fight together. _You matter._ ”

Keith was staring at him again. His body was so tense and stoic but his eyes betrayed him because when he looked at Lance, he could see the waves of emotions rolling in his head.

“And there is no one in this galaxy - _this universe_ \- who is just like you. Sure, we might find someone with amazing piloting skills or a mullet as insane as yours, but none of it will matter. It won’t be _you_.”

Lance had to let his gaze fall, because upon saying those last words, tears began to cloud his vision and he knew Keith could hear the crack of emotion in his voice.

He was staring at his shoes through a blurry film of tears when he saw Keith shuffle closer. Seeing the black rim of his Marmora boots refueled the flame in Lance’s heart just enough for him to get one last jab in.

“And you want to know why it bothers me so much?” Lance muttered under his breath, still unsure of his wavering voice.

“ _Because I love you-you asshole!_ ”

At this, Lance finally let the dam burst. Hot tears that were stinging the corners of his eyes were now trailing down his cheeks and dropping onto the floor. Soft whimpers escaped his lips and he had to bite his lip to the point of drawing blood so that he couldn’t pathetically sob in front of Keith.

Lance knew that his pain went deeper than the fear of losing a friend or a team mate. He knew that there was more to the feeling he got in his chest when he looked at Keith. He knew. And now, so did Keith.

“G-god, we didn’t even try to keep you from leaving,” Lance stuttered.

“Lance.”

“And you actually thought that if you died it’d be less of a burden,” he went on, voice still strained.

“ _Lance_.”

“And my last words to you would have been a literal fucking joke, _dios_ -”

“ ** _Lance_**.”

He should have seen it coming really, but he was so caught up in his mental breakdown that he didn’t realize how close Keith had gotten. His midnight hair was brushing lightly against Lance’s cheek, and his breath could be felt on his lips. When did he get this close?

Before he could say or do anything in response to the sudden contact, Keith drew in a breath, fisted bundles of Lance’s cotton hoodie in his hands, and closed the small distance between them.

Kissing Keith was not at all how Lance expected this conversation - _this night_ \- to go. He didn’t expect to practically melt at the way Keith held his tear-stained face in his hands, like he was something precious that needed to be cradled. He didn’t expect to grip and tug at Keith’s waist, not wanting to let go because he feared that if he did he’d be gone again. He didn’t expect for it to feel so right.

But in that moment, Lance didn’t care about how things weren’t going as he originally planned. He was so glad that they didn’t. Because now, all Lance could think about was the fact that Keith was warm, and his lips were soft, and he was right there under his grasp, safe and real and _alive_.

When they pulled apart to breathe, Lance let out a small discontented noise. Kissing Keith was an experience all on its own and he wanted to savor every moment of it. Because when Keith kissed him, the world didn’t feel like it had been completely flipped upside down. It didn’t feel like they were in the middle of a war or thousands of light years from home. Keith kissed him like he was telling a story - like he was trying to get all of his unspoken words across.

When Keith kissed Lance, he wasn’t trying to get anything out of him, _he was trying to give him everything that he had._

Keith unwrapped one of the hands Lance had wrapped around his waist and placed it on his chest. Keith held Lance’s spread hand to his heart, and in the most determined and self-assured voice he could manage, he said, “ _I’m alive_.”

“And I’m _sorry_ ,” he said, pushing harder on Lance’s hand, “I’m sorry that I pushed you away because I was scared of getting too close - scared of losing this family that I’d never really had. I’m sorry that I left in the middle of everything. I was confused and I just wanted to find out more about myself. It’s no excuse and I know that I can’t make it up to you but-”

Now it was Lance’s turn to keep him quiet.

Of course he wanted to talk about this. He wanted to mumble reassurances and soft scoldings into the nape of Keith’s neck before they fell asleep. He wanted to constantly encourage him and remind him of how much he means to the team. He wanted to tell him that even if his decision was stupid and crazy, he appreciated it a lot because it showed that he was willing to give everything up for them.

Lance could feel the steady rise of Keith’s heartbeat beneath his palm and he almost drowned in the warmth that the reaction gave him. He loved that he could do something like this to Keith. _Calm, cool, collected, Keith._

Lance placed his other hand on the small of Keith’s back and pushed them closer together - _if that was even possible._

He put everything he had into that kiss. He wanted to let Keith know that he wasn’t going to let him leave so easily this time. After that scare, he probably wasn’t going to ever let him leave again.

Lance pulled away to breathe, but in the process he decided to pull a titanic scene and in between peppered kisses on Keith’s face he mumbled, “You’re so stupid, mullet. So, so, so stupid. _Eres un tonto_.”

Keith let out a breathy laugh and let his hands rest loosely on Lance’s hips. “If a near-death experience was all it would take to get you to do that-”

“Don’t even joke like that,” Lance muttered, his forehead resting against Keith’s. “Besides, I would have done this a long time ago if you had given me some hints that the feelings were mutual.”

“The feelings are most definitely mutual.”

Lance grinned at this and a pleased hum fell from his lips.

“I’m still not letting you off the hook, Keith,” Lance stated, seriousness edging its way back into his tone.

Keith nodded and his head lightly bumped against Lance’s in the process, “I know. We still need to talk about this, but can we do it tomorrow? I’m exhausted.”

Lance’s gaze softened when he realized just how tired Keith looked. His eyelids hung low and soft purple patches outlined the underside of his eyes. His raven hair was fluffy and disheveled from the fight, and his grip on Lance had loosened a bit.

“Okay, yeah you need your rest. It’s been a long day. Goodnight, Keith,” Lance said lifting his head a bit so that his lips were pressed against Keith’s messy mane. He pressed a light kiss to his forehead and reluctantly pulled away, stealing a quick glance of him before he turned to walk out.

“Wait-” Keith called out. He looked a little less dazed from exhaustion and a pretty pink blush was dusted across his cheeks. “Stay with me tonight, I haven’t been able to sleep lately. Just...stay.”

Lance paused at the door and turned to give Keith a soft smile, “Of course, _cariño_. Let me go shower and grab some things first and then we can go to bed.” We.

Keith nodded at this and tiredly wiped at his eyes, “Yeah I need to wash up too. I’ll leave the door unlocked if you get out first.”

Lance smiled again in response and after he left the room - away from Keith’s line of sight - he leaned back against the hallway wall and heaved a happy sigh.

_He is alive._

-

When Keith stepped under the stream of practically boiling water, he let out a soft sigh of relief.

He didn’t expect to kiss Lance the way he did. _He didn’t expect for him to kiss back._

He didn’t expect for Lance to say all of those reassuring things to him.

_You matter. It won’t be you. Because I love you!_

It was so much to process and Keith had never been good at picking apart people’s words. He’d never been great at giving them either.

Sometimes his emotions got the best of him, and his feeling were always so intense that he hesitated from saying anything at all because he was afraid of what would come out of his mouth. He was afraid that one day he wouldn’t be able to stop himself and he’d end up saying too much.

Because when Keith spoke and his words were sincere, they came out in stuttered sentences and he would ramble until all of the feelings he’d fought back were said. That’s why Keith preferred showing people how he felt. _That’s why he kissed Lance._ He wanted to show him that he cared about him just as much as he did. He wanted him to know that he understood what he did was stupid, but he also wanted to let him know that he’d do it a thousand times over if it meant that he could save the people he loved. _If it meant that he could save Lance._

Keith had let the burning droplets hit his back for a few more moments before he got out of the shower.

He decided to get dressed in the restroom in case Lance was already back - he was lacking in self control as it and the thought of Lance’s hands on his bare, pale, chest sent what little control he had out the window.

When Keith walked back into the room, Lance was lazily sprawled across the bed. His eyes were closed and he was humming a song that Keith only had vague memories of. His wet chestnut hair fell in loose waves across the pillow and his cheeks were tainted a rosy-pink color. Keith found the whole thing mesmerizing, he didn’t understand how someone could be a literal walking piece of art.

And then Keith’s eyes drifted down and his breath hitched in his throat. Lance was shirtless and Keith felt himself losing control at the idea of his _own_ hands on Lance’s bare torso.

He was beautiful. And not the kind of beautiful that was flawless and bare. Lance didn’t only have the size and shape of a lanky Abercrombie model, but the scars of a warrior too. Lance wasn’t just a slender, tan-skinned, beach beauty. He had jagged pink scars running along his sides and dark brown moles dotted the dips of his collarbones. Lance’s body was uncharted territory and Keith wanted to learn it all.

Keith wasn’t sure what came over him - his horrible impulses probably - but he took slow steps over to Lance and hesitantly took a seat beside him. The dip in the bed startled Lance a bit and he was quick to sit up, but Keith’s hand on his chest stopped him.

“Keith-” Lance muttered, but his words fell short when Keith pushed him down and moved so that he was straddling his waist. Keith’s hands started to map all of the marks on Lance’s body. He worked in slow gentle movements and his fingers ghosted over one especially large scar.

“Keith?” Lance’s eyes were wide and the blush on his cheeks intensified.

“You’re so... _beautiful_ ,” Keith said, his hand tracing the small scar on the side of Lance’s waist. Then Keith took his admiration one step farther and bent down to kiss one of the moles on Lance’s collarbone.

Lance shivered and let out a breathy gasp at this and his hold on Keith’s hips tightened.

Keith kept kissing at his collarbone and whenever he paused to move his mouth he muttered something like, “ _So, so, pretty_.” Lance was a mess. He was latching onto Keith with those long slender fingers and it fueled Keith to go further.

Keith started working his way up from Lances collar bone to the place where his ear and jawline met. He lightly nipped and sucked at that spot, wanting to leave his own mark on Lance’s body. He wanted to show that he was learning this territory and that it was only his to discover.

“ _Keith_.” Lance breathed after he made another small mark just beneath the one on his jaw. He tangled his hands in Keith’s hair and pulled him in for another kiss. This time it was different though, this time Lance wasn’t being soft or careful. He swiped his tongue across Keith’s bottom lip to intensify the kiss and Keith let him take the lead. Lance tugged on Keith’s hair a little bit harder than he intended, and he blushed when a low moan fell from his lips. Lance smirked at this and took Keith’s pause as an opportunity to flip them around so that he was straddling his lap.

Lance’s hands were faintly tracing the edge of Keith’s waist, just beneath his shirt. He gave a light tug on the hem of the fabric and looked at Keith with an eyebrow raised in question. Keith merely nodded at this and his breath hitched in his throat when Lance pulled him up a bit to pull the shirt off.

Keith was never self-conscious of his body. He never really paid much attention to his image in all honesty - there were bigger things to worry about. He had milky white skin and pale pink scars, he didn’t think that there was much to analyze or take in. His lanky body is what kept him alive, it’s what gave him the ability to fight.

But lying beneath Lance with his hands pinned on either side of face, completely exposed - made him feel vulnerable and suddenly aware of all his battle scars.

Lance dragged his eyes over Keith’s body, but his eyes were not full of desire or want. Lance was in _awe_ \- he was looking at Keith like he was something that should be put on display in a museum. He lightly traced the scars that were scattered across his torso, but his hand stopped right above Keith’s heart.

He laid his palm flat against that spot and uncurled his fingers so that they were spread across his chest. Lance caught Keith’s gaze and he smiled at him softly - almost sadly.

“ _I’m so glad you’re alive_.”

If the two hadn’t been so close Keith wasn’t sure that he would have heard it. Lance pressed his palm harder against his chest and went on.

“-I’m glad that you’re safe and here and with us. And I thought that it wouldn’t be so bad - the missing you. But then you left and the only things we got were short texts or emails or calls. And we didn’t want to tell you to come back because we knew that you needed answers - that you needed time to figure yourself out. It didn’t mean that it made it easy for us though. Pidge would stay up late to try and track you, to make sure that you were still with the Blades and that they weren’t sending you on dangerous goose-chases. Hunk would always look sadly at your door when we passed it by on the way to our rooms. Shiro was more anxious and aggravated than usual. Coran and Allura missed having you at dinner because they liked hearing your interpretations of life on earth and our customs.-”

Lance took in another breath and sighed, like he was willing himself to keep his cool.

“-And some nights I couldn’t sleep because I could only think of everything I hadn’t said to you. I thought that at any moment either one of us could be gone and I wouldn’t have been able to tell you how I feel. I was mad at myself for not telling you something before you walked out on us to join the Blades. I was angry that I didn’t fight for you - that none of us did - like we should have. But I’m not going to make that mistake again.-”

“Stay with us, Keith,” Lance’s eyes were full of determination, and his voice was so stable and strong. “And I don’t mean just for tonight. You are a Paladin of Voltron - you always have been and you always will be. So come back because there is still a place for you and purpose for you on this team. You can lead or I can give Red back - I don’t really know how, but things will work themselves out. Just - we need you to stay. _I_ need you to stay.”

Keith took all the words in. He pulled them apart one by one in his brain and tried to find any hints of hesitation or uncertainty within them. But all he could come up with was honesty and genuine pleads. Lance was looking down at him with those same crashing-tide eyes, and it was in that moment Keith realized _exactly_ where he belonged.

He belonged on that ship. He belonged in the place where he had established a family he’d never really had. He belonged in the place that was no doubt becoming his home.

“I’ll stay. I thought I needed to find a group or place to belong to, but I know exactly where I belong. I belong here, with you. I’m here to stay.”

Keith pulled Lance down to his side and curled himself into his chest. Lance’s arms immediately wound around his waist and he held Keith tightly against him. His head was resting on top of Keith’s head and their legs were tangled beneath the covers.

The two stayed like that for a bit - slowly beginning to doze off. But before either of them could be fully engulfed by darkness Keith realized that there was something he needed to say.

“ _I love you too_.”

Lance placed a light kiss to his forehead at this and pushed him closer against his chest.

Keith decided that night that he wasn’t bothered by a blank room anymore. As long as Lance was with him, he was _always_ home. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so first off I seriously hope everyone enjoyed this. I’m not new to fanfic or writing, I take classes on it and I have work on other sites like Wattpad. But I realized I wanted a new platform so that I could extend my horizons and hopefully gather a different kinds of readers. So I’m really just testing the waters with this to see how it goes. Anyways, if you liked it make sure to tap on the Kudos or drop a comment if you have some (respectful) criticism/requests/questions. I hope you all have a great day! Stay safe and most importantly happy! xo. ((OH one last thing I really wanna say thanks again to my best friend as mentioned earlier she really motivated me for this oneshot and I appreciate her a lot.))


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